Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the Gulf Cartel if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “JA Espinoza” from Matamoros.

MATAMOROS, Tamaulipas — Mexican military and federal police forces rescued a man who had been kidnapped and subsequently left behind tied and blindfolded inside an abandoned SUV in this border city. The kidnapping appears to show a new trend in the way organized crime members have been carrying out robberies and kidnappings.

According to information provided by Tamaulipas authorities, Mexican soldiers, marines, and federal police officers rescued the man from the abandoned truck. The Chevrolet Suburban had Texas plates and appears to have been stolen. It had been abandoned in the Seccion 16 neighborhood in this border city’s south side.

After the rescue investigators interviewed the man who told them that he had been kidnapped by gunmen and then left in the SUV where he spent two days inside before authorities rescued him.

The man had been blindfolded and had his hands tied when authorities found him inside the abandoned vehicle. Authorities had arrived to check on the abandoned vehicle and were surprised to find the man inside.

After agents interrogated the man they learned that on April 24, as he went on his way to work, he was kidnapped by gunmen who were driving two vehicles. The gunmen robbed him of his belongings and then tied him up.

Authorities have said that leaving victims inside of vehicle appears to be a new method of operation by kidnapping cells and members of criminal organizations. This is something that has already been in place in other parts of Mexico but has recently made its way to the border area.

Under the new method, the victim is taken and after a small ransom is obtained or they are simply robbed. They are stuffed inside a vehicle leaving them to an uncertain fate.

This recent kidnapping case helps illustrate the fact that cartel members favor stolen Texas vehicles since there is no way for authorities to track down the criminals and much less tie them to the stolen vehicle. According to authorities, the relatives of the victim had not filed a formal complaint with Mexican authorities in order to report the kidnapping.